Orthodox Christians observe Presentation of Holy Virgin

The Orthodox Christians that follow the Julian calendar today celebrate the Presentation of Blessed Virgin Mary or the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple of Jerusalem, which is one of the greatest liturgical feasts, Info-Prim Neo reports. Priest Viorel Cojocaru, Bishop of “Inima Tacuta” Church, said that today’s feast symbolizes God’s reward to Mary’s parents, Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, who had been childless. According to the Bible, Joachim and Anne received a heavenly message that they would have a child. In thanksgiving for the gift of their daughter, they brought her, when still a child, to the Temple in Jerusalem to consecrate her to God. Mary remained in the Temple until puberty. She was taken to the Temple at around the age of three in fulfillment of a vow. Tradition held that she was to remain there to be educated in preparation for her role as Mother of God. “The feast symbolizes in fact the event when the Mother of God entered the Church and not only the Church, but also the most holy place called the Saint of Saints, where no woman and no priest are allowed access. Only the bishop can enter that place once a year, when he makes a sacrifice of blood for the people’s ignorance. They allowed her to pray there,” said Viorel Cojocaru. He also said that the fasting people on this day can eat fish and drink a glass of wine. During the Nativity Fast, fish may be also eaten on the feasts of Saint Andrew the Apostle and Saint Hierarch Nicholas.